Stats
Attributes Physical Physical Attributes define the condition of a character’s body. They indicate how strong, agile, and resilient a character is. Physical Attributes should be taken as the primary category for an action-oriented character. Vampires may use ingested blood to supernaturally augment their Physical (and only their Physical) Attributes. Strength Strength is the raw, brute power of a character. It governs how much weight a character can lift, how much he can physically push, and how hard he can hit another character or object. The Strength Trait is added to a character’s damage dice pool when he hits his opponent in hand-to-hand combat. It is also used when a character wishes to break, lift, or carry something, as well as when a character tries to jump a distance • Poor: You can lift 40 lbs (about 20 kgs). •• Average: You can lift 100 lbs (close to 50 kgs). ••• Good: You can lift 250 lbs (a little over 100 kgs). •••• Exceptional: You can lift 400 lbs (close to 200 kgs). ••••• Outstanding: You can lift 650 lbs (nearly 300 kgs) and crush skulls like grapes. Specialties: Never Lets Go, Powerful Arms, Reserves of Strength, Vicious Dexterity The Dexterity Attribute measures a character’s general physical prowess. It encompasses the character’s speed, agility, and overall quickness, as well as indicating the character’s ability to manipulate objects with control and precision. Also included under Dexterity’s heading are hand-eye coordination, reflexes, and bodily grace. • Poor: You are clumsy and awkward. Put that gun down before you hurt yourself. •• Average: You’re no clod, but you’re no ballerina, either. ••• Good: You possess some degree of athletic potential. •••• Exceptional: You could be an acrobat if you wished. ••••• Outstanding: Your movements are liquid and hypnotic — almost superhuman. Specialties: Precise, Swift, Feline Grace, Lightning Reflexes Stamina The Stamina Trait reflects a character’s health, toughness, and resilience. It indicates how long a character can exert herself and how much punishment she can withstand before suffering physical trauma. Stamina also includes a bit of psychic fortitude, indicating a character’s grit and tenacity. • Poor: You bruise in a stiff wind. •• Average: You are moderately healthy and can take a punch or two. ••• Good: You are in good shape and rarely fall ill. •••• Exceptional: You can run — and perhaps win — any marathon you choose. ••••• Outstanding: Your constitution is truly herculean. Specialties: Tireless, Determined, Tough as Nails, Vigorous Social Despite their often lonely fates, Kindred use human society like building blocks to advance their schemes. Social Attributes delineate a character’s appearance, charm, and ability to interact with society. These Traits are paramount in determining a character’s first impressions, personal dynamics, and relations with other individuals. Charisma Charisma is a character’s ability to entice and please others through her personality. Charisma comes into question when a character tries to win another character’s sympathies or encourage others to trust her. Charisma reflects the power of a character’s charm and influence. It governs a character’s ability to convince others to see her point of view. This Attribute doesn’t necessarily indicate how the character is charismatic, whether she’s a silver-tongued charmer or a grinning bully. • Poor: There’s something a little sketchy about you. •• Average: You are generally likable and have several friends. ••• Good: People trust you implicitly. •••• Exceptional: You have significant personal magnetism. ••••• Outstanding: Entire cultures could follow your lead. Specialties: Graceful, Smooth Talker, Forceful, Urbane, Witty, Eloquent, Hustler Manipulation Manipulation measures a character’s ability for selfexpression in the interests of getting others to share her outlook or follow her whims. In short, it’s getting others to do what she wants. Manipulation comes intoplay when a character tries to influence or subtly guide another’s behavior. Manipulation is used to trick, bluff, fast-talk, and railroad other characters. Whether or not the characters in question actually like the manipulator is irrelevant (this is why Manipulation differs from Charisma). After all, a skilled motivator can even employ the talents of people who hate her. Manipulation is a dangerous affair, though it is way many Kindred primarily affect the world around them. Failed attempts at manipulation often earn the ire of the would-be patsy. Botching a Manipulation roll may add a name to the character’s list of enemies. People are manipulated every day, and typically ignore it. (“Would you run to the store for me?”) If the fact is brought to their attention, however, many people become quite defensive. Manipulation can be the most powerful tool in a Kindred’s repertoire, but failure can be disastrous. Characters with high Manipulation ratings are often distrusted by those around them. • Poor: A person of few (often ineffectual) words. •• Average: You can fool some of the people some of the time, just like anybody else. ••• Good: You never pay full price. •••• Exceptional: You could be a politician or cult leader. ••••• Outstanding: “Of course I’ll tell the Prince I was the one who tried to stake him!” Specialties: Persuasive, Seductive, Well-Reasoned, Misdirection, Conjurer of “Facts” Appearance The Appearance Attribute is a measure of how well a character makes a first impression. This may be conventional “attractiveness,” but it can also be the effect of distinctive features, an exotic mien, an air of confidence, distinctive posture, a flair for dressing well — anything remarkable upon initial observation can contribute to a character’s Appearance. Indeed, Appearance is the amalgamation of many descriptive personal characteristics. Appearance is subconscious and instinctual — it appeals to the lower levels of the psyche, so it shapes first impressions and the nature of memories thereafter. This Trait is useful for getting potential vessels to heed your beckoning across a crowded dance floor. In situations in which first impressions are paramount, or that involve people who view Appearance as very important, a character may have no more dice in a Social dice pool than her Appearance rating. Thus, it is critically important to either look your best or get to know people before you start trying to convince them to firebomb the Justicar’s haven. • Poor: Your clothes stink, you turn people off right away, or you’re just damned ugly. •• Average: You don’t stand out in a crowd, for better or for worse. ••• Good: “Let me buy you a drink.” •••• Exceptional: People go out of their way to make your acquaintance. ••••• Outstanding: People never forget you. Specialties: Unconventional Looks, Photogenic, Fashion Sense, Unforgettable Face, Memorable Pose Mental Mental Attributes define a character’s epistemic capacities, including such aspects as memory, intelligence, awareness of one’s surroundings, and the ability to think, learn, and react. Perception Perception measures a character’s ability to observe his environment. This may involve a conscious effort, such as searching an area, but it is more often intuitive, as the character’s keen senses notice something out of the ordinary. Perception is a sensitivity to one’s surroundings, and is seldom present in the cynical or jaded (who have seen it all before). Perception is used to determine whether or not a character understands a given situation or detects an environmental stimulus. It can warn a character of ambushes, distinguish a clue from a pile of refuse, or uncover any other hidden or overlookable detail, whether physical or otherwise. • Poor: Perhaps you are absurdly self- absorbed, perhaps merely an airhead. In any event, watch out for that car! •• Average: The very subtle evades you, but you’re aware of the bigger picture. ••• Good: You perceive moods, textures, and small changes in your environment. •••• Exceptional: Almost nothing escapes your notice. ••••• Outstanding: You instantly observe things almost imperceptible to human senses. Specialties: Attentive, Insightful, Careful, Discerning, Tactical Intelligence The Intelligence Attribute refers to a character’s grasp of facts and knowledge. It also governs a character’s ability to reason, solve problems, and evaluate situations. Intelligence also includes critical thinking and flexibility of thought. Intelligence does not include savvy, wisdom, or common sense, as those are properties of the character’s personality, not Traits. Even the smartest character may be too foolish to realize the thugs who want to “borrow” her car keys are up to no good. Characters with low Intelligence aren’t necessarily stupid (though they might be); they are just uneducated or simple thinkers. Likewise, characters with high Intelligence aren’t all Einsteins; they may be better at rote memorization or have particularly keen judgment. • Poor: Not the sharpest knife in the drawer. •• Average: Smart enough to realize you’re normal. ••• Good: More enlightened than the masses. •••• Exceptional: You’re not just bright, you’re downright brilliant. ••••• Outstanding: Certified genius. Specialties: Book Knowledge, Creative, Analytical, Problem Solver, Subject Authority Wits The Wits Trait measures the character’s ability to think on her feet and react quickly to a certain situation. It also reflects a character’s general cleverness. Characters with low Wits ratings are thick and mentally lethargic, or maybe gullible and unsophisticated. By contrast, characters with high Wits Traits almost always have a plan immediately and adapt to their surroundings with striking expedience. Characters with high Wits also manage to keep their cool in stressful situations. • Poor: Pull my finger. •• Average: You know when to bet or fold in poker. ••• Good: You are seldom surprised or left speechless. •••• Exceptional: You’re one of the people who make others think, “Ooh, I should have said...” the next day. ••••• Outstanding: You think and respond almost more quickly than you can act. Specialties: Getting the Jump on Others, Witty Bon Mots, Changes in Strategy, Ambushes Abilities Talents Talents describe what you intuitively know, what you can do without coaching or instruction. The only way to improve your Talents is through direct experience — with the exception of a very few cases (such as studying a text on Jeet Kune Do to learn a single dot of Brawl), these things can’t be learned from a book or an Internet video. If you try an action involving a Talent your character doesn’t possess, there’s no penalty to your basic Attribute dice pool. Talents are so intuitive that virtually everyone can execute them with some degree of capacity. Alertness This is your basic knack for noticing things that go on around you, even when you’re not actively looking for them. Alertness describes the attention you pay to the outside world, whether otherwise occupied or not. This Talent is typically paired with Perception, and is best used when sensing physical stimuli (as opposed to moods or clues). • Novice: You’re no mindless drone. •• Practiced: Habitual eavesdropper ••• Competent: You keep a sharp eye on your surroundings. •••• Expert: Whether from paranoia or good sense, you are rarely caught off-guard. ••••• Master: Your senses are on par with those of a wild animal. Possessed by: Hunters, Bodyguards, Security Personnel, Journalists, Burglars Specialties: Noises, Eavesdropping, Fine Details, Hidden Weapons, Crowds, Forests, Animals Athletics This Talent represents your basic athletic ability, as well as any training you might have had in sports or other rigorous activities. Athletics concerns all forms of running, jumping, throwing, swimming, sports, and the like. However, Athletics doesn’t cover basic motor actions such as lifting weights, nor does it govern athletic feats covered by another Ability (such as Melee). • Novice: You had an active childhood. •• Practiced: High-school athlete ••• Competent: Talented lifelong amateur •••• Expert: Professional athlete ••••• Master: Olympic medalist Possessed by: Athletes, Hobbyists, Park Rangers, Jocks, Kids Specialties: Swimming, Rock Climbing, Acrobatics, Dancing, Parkour, specific sports Awareness Awareness is an instinctual reaction to the presence of the supernatural. It differs from Alertness (which measures sensitivity to mundane events) and Occult (which covers actual knowledge about the supernatural). Usually, only supernatural creatures have access to this particular Talent, but some unique mortals have a sense that something is strange in the world (such as those with True Faith). Characters with Awareness sometimes get hunches, chills, or sudden flashes of inspiration when they are near supernatural creatures, objects, or events. This insight is purely subconscious, and knowing that something’s wrong doesn’t mean that the character knows what it is. To get more specific information, the Kindred will need to use Occult or a particular power – Awareness only makes the vampire more receptive to the presence of the unusual. • Novice: Once in a while, you get the feeling that something isn’t right. •• Practiced: You sometimes get strange vibes from a particular direction or vague area (like a building). ••• Competent: You can walk into a room and know that something unusual is going on within. •••• Expert: If you concentrate, you can sense whether a someone in a group of people or a collection of objects is supernatural. ••••• Master: You instinctually know if something or someone is mundane or supernatural. Possessed by: Psychics, New Agers, Mystics, Paranormal Researchers Specialties: Ghostly Activity, Mystical Objects, Someone’s In My Head, Debunking Brawl The Brawl Talent represents how well you fight in tooth-and-nail situations. This Talent represents skill in unarmed combat, whether from formal martial arts training or simply from plenty of experience. Effective brawlers are coordinated, resistant to pain, quick, strong, and mean. The willingness to do whatever it takes to hurt your opponent wins plenty of fights. • Novice: You were picked on as a kid. •• Practiced: You’ve participated in the occasional barroom tussle. ••• Competent: You’ve fought regularly and routinely, and generally walked away in better shape than your opponents. •••• Expert: You could be a serious contender on the MMA circuit. ••••• Master: Somewhere on the Internet, there’s a video of you taking down three men in four seconds. Possessed by: Military, Police, Roughnecks, Thugs Specialties: Dirty Fighting, Strikes, Throws, Submission Holds, specific martial arts or combat styles Empathy You understand the emotions of others, and can sympathize with, feign sympathy for, or play on such emotions as you see fit. You are adept at discerning motive, and might be able to discern when someone’s lying to you. However, you may be so in tune with other people’s feelings that your own emotions are affected. • Novice: You lend the occasional shoulder to cry on. •• Practiced: You can sometimes literally feel someone else’s suffering. ••• Competent: You have a keen insight into other people’s motivations. •••• Expert: It’s almost impossible to lie to you. ••••• Master: The human soul conceals no mysteries from you. Possessed by: Social Workers, Parents, Actors, Psychologists, Detectives, Seducers, Mediums, Best Friends Specialties: Emotions, Insight, Motives, Gaining Trust Expression This is your ability to get your point across clearly, whether through conversation, poetry, or even in 140 characters or fewer. Characters with high Expression can phrase their opinions or beliefs in a manner that cannot be ignored (even if their opinions are misinformed or worthless). They might also be talented actors, skilled at conveying moods or communicating emotion with every gesture. Additionally, this Talent represents your ability for poetry, creative writing, or other literary art forms. For many elders, Expression is the subtle art of crafting a satirical epigram capable of socially crippling one’s longtime rival. For younger Kindred, Expression may well be the key to convincing thirty stake-wielding Anarchs to converge on the Sheriff’s private hunting ground with the right text message. You can choose a specialty in Expression, even at less than 4 dots. • Novice: Your talent has matured past crude poetry on notebook paper. •• Practiced: You could lead a college debate team. ••• Competent: You could be a successful writer. •••• Expert: Your work is Pulitzer material. ••••• Master: Steve Jobs asks you for input on his next mobile device. Possessed by: Actors, Writers, Poets, Politicians, Journalists, Web Personalities, Rabble-Rousers Specialties: Acting, Poetry, Fiction, Impromptu, Conversation, Social Media Intimidation Intimidation takes many forms, from outright threats and physical violence to mere force of personality. It needn’t be course or callous, and a well-placed intimidating word under the right circumstances might well be called “diplomacy” in certain circles. You know the right method for each occasion, and can be very… persuasive. • Novice: Shady teenager •• Practiced: Skinhead thug ••• Competent: Drill sergeant •••• Expert: Your air of authority cows casual passersby. ••••• Master: You can frighten off vicious animals. Possessed by: Bullies, Anonymous, Military Officers, Bouncers, Gangsters, Sabbat Specialties: Veiled Threats, Pulling Rank, Physical Coercion, Blackmail, Internet Leadership You are an example to others and can inspire them to do what you want. Leadership has less to do with manipulating people’s desires than it does with presenting yourself as the sort of person they want to follow. Anyone can lead a group into some sort of conflict; a good leader can get them back out intact. This Talent is usually paired with Charisma rather than Manipulation. • Novice: Captain of your Little League team •• Practiced: Student body president ••• Competent: An effective CEO •••• Expert: Presidential material ••••• Master: You could be beloved dictator of a nation. Possessed by: Politicians, Princes, Managers, Executives, Military Officers, Police Specialties: Oratory, Compelling, Friendly, Open, Noble, Military, Multimedia Streetwise The streets can provide a lot of information or money to those who know the language. Streetwise allows you to blend in unobtrusively with the local scene, pick up gossip, understand slang, or even dabble in criminal doings. • Novice: You know who’s holding. •• Practiced: You’re accorded respect on the street. ••• Competent: You could head your own gang. •••• Expert: You have little to fear in even the worst neighborhoods. ••••• Master: If you haven’t heard it, it hasn’t been said. Possessed by: Criminals, Homeless People, Reporters, Clubgoers, Savvy Detectives, Neonates Specialties: Fencing, Illegal Drugs, Illegal Weapons, Free Wifi, Gangs, Being On the Guest List, Local Slang Subterfuge You know how to conceal your own motives and project what you wish. Furthermore, if you can root out other people’s motives, you can then use those motives against them. This Talent defines your talent for intrigue, secrets, and double-dealing. Mastery of Subterfuge can make you the ultimate seducer or a brilliant spy. • Novice: You tell the occasional white lie. •• Practiced: Vampire ••• Competent: Criminal lawyer •••• Expert: Deep-cover agent ••••• Master: You’re the very last person anyone would suspect. Possessed by: Politicians, Lawyers, Vampires, Teenagers, Con Men, Pick-up Artists Specialties: Seduction, Impeccable Lies, Feigning Mortality, the Long Con Hobby Talent This category encompasses anything that the Storyteller deems to be mainly self-taught and is usually (though not always) more active than intellectual. Storytellers should first examine the list of existing Talents to determine if a particular activity might fall under one of those (for example, Swimming and Climbing would be specialties of Athletics). • Novice: You’ve dabbled. •• Practiced: You’ve got a good grasp of your hobby’s basics. ••• Competent: Other practitioners regard you as fairly skilled and competent. •••• Expert: You are familiar with the subtle nuances and applications of your Talent. ••••• Master: You could write a book on what you do. Perhaps you already have. Suggested Hobby Talents: Carousing, Diplomacy, Fortune Telling, Negotiation, Scrounging Skills Skills are Abilities learned through training, apprenticeships, or other instruction. If you try to perform an action involving a Skill in which you have no rating, your difficulty is increased by one. An unskilled worker just isn’t as effective as someone who might have lower Attributes but a better understanding of what the procedure entails. Animal Ken You can understand animals’ behavior patterns. This Skill allows you to predict how an animal might react in a given situation, train a domesticated creature, or even try to calm or enrage animals. • Novice: You can get a domesticated horse to let you pet it. •• Practiced: You can housebreak a puppy. ••• Competent: You could train a seeing- eye dog. •••• Expert: Circus trainer ••••• Master: You can tame wild beasts without benefit of supernatural powers. Possessed by: Farmers, Animal Trainers, Zookeepers, Veterinarians, Pet Owners, Domitors Specialties: Dogs, Attack Training, Big Cats, Horses, Farm Animals, Falconry Crafts This Skill covers your ability to make or fix things with your hands. Crafts allows you to work in fields such as carpentry, leatherworking, weaving, or even mechanical expertise such as car repair. You can even create lasting works of art with this Skill, depending on the number of successes you achieve. You must always choose a specialization in Crafts, even though you retain some skill in multiple fields. • Novice: High school wood shop •• Practiced: You’re starting to develop your own style. ••• Competent: You could start your own shop. •••• Expert: You wrote instruction manuals on your field of specialization. ••••• Master: Your craftsmanship and insight is virtually without peer. Possessed by: Mechanics, Artisans, Artists, Designers, Inventors, Back-to-the-Land Types Specialties: Pottery, Sewing, Home Repair, Carpentry, Appraisal, Carburetors Drive You can drive a car, and maybe other vehicles as well. This Skill does not automatically entail familiarity with complicated vehicles such as tanks or 18-wheelers, and difficulties may vary depending on your experience with individual automobiles. After all, helming a station wagon doesn’t prepare you for double-clutching a Maserati at 100 miles per hour. • Novice: You know how to work an automatic transmission. •• Practiced: You can drive a stick shift. ••• Competent: Professional trucker •••• Expert: NASCAR daredevil or tank pilot ••••• Master: Whether it’s a Fiat or a Ferrari, you can make it sing. Possessed by: Cabbies, Truckers, Race Car Drivers, Automotive Show Hosts, Rebels Specialties: Off-Road, Motorcycles, High Speed, Heavy Traffic, Avoiding Traffic Cops Etiquette You understand the nuances of proper behavior, in both mortal society and Kindred culture. In many cases, knowing how to broach a topic is as important as the discussion itself, and a person with poor etiquette will never have an opportunity to make herself heard because she doesn’t know when or how to interject. This Skill is used during meetings, haggling, seduction, dancing, dinner etiquette, and all forms of diplomacy. • Novice: You know when to keep your mouth shut. •• Practiced: You’ve been to a black-tie event or two. ••• Competent: You know your way around even obscure silverware. •••• Expert: Her Majesty would consider you charming. ••••• Master: If the right people came to dinner, you could end wars — or start them. Possessed by: Diplomats, Travelers, High Society, Executives, Kindred of Status Specialties: At Elysium, Business, High Society, Sabbat Protocol Firearms Executing a mortal with a sword starts investigations. Clawing someone to ribbons tears the edges of the Masquerade. So vampires adapt, and many have devoted their energies to learning how to kill with guns. This Skill represents familiarity with a range of firearms, from holdout pistols to heavy machine guns. Further, someone skilled in Firearms can clean, repair, recognize, and accurately fire most forms of small arms. This Skill is also used to unjam guns (Wits + Firearms). • Novice: You had a BB gun as a kid. •• Practiced: You while away the occasional hour at the gun club. ••• Competent: You’ve survived a firefight or two. •••• Expert: You could pick off people for a living. ••••• Master: You’ve been practicing since the debut of the Winchester. Possessed by: Anarchs, Neonates, Policemen, Military Personnel, Survivalists, Hunters Specialties: Fast-Draw, Gunsmithing, Pistols, Marksmanship, Revolvers, Shotguns Larceny This Skill entails familiarity with the tools and techniques for the sorts of physical manipulation typically associated with criminal activity. Picking locks, manual forgery, safecracking, simple hotwiring, various forms of breaking and entering, and even sleight-of-hand all fall under the auspices of Larceny. Larceny is useful not only for theft, but also for setting up “the unbeatable system” or deducing where a thief broke in. This skill does not confer any aptitude with advanced security or anti-crime technologies such as video surveillance or alarm systems — those are covered by the Technology Knowledge. • Novice: You can pick a simple lock. •• Practiced: You could run a shell game hustle on the corner. ••• Competent: You can open a standard locked window from the outside. •••• Expert: You can “retool” a passport or ID card. ••••• Master: You could get into (or out of…) a multinational bank’s central vault. Possessed by: Burglars, Security Consultants, Policemen, Car Thieves, Street Magicians Specialties: Safecracking, Misdirection, Lockpicking, Hotwiring, Pickpocketing Melee As the Kindred maxim runs, “Guns mean nothing to a lifeless heart”. A blade is often worth far more, as is the skill to use it properly. Melee covers your ability to use hand-to-hand weapons of all forms, from swords and clubs to esoteric martial-arts paraphernalia such assai or nunchaku. And, of course, there is always the utility of the wooden stake.… • Novice: You know the right way to hold a knife. •• Practiced: You may have been in the occasional street fight. ••• Competent: You could make a college fencing team. •••• Expert: You could keep order in the Prince’s court. ••••• Master: Your enemies would rather face a SWAT team than your blade. Possessed by: Assassins, Gang Members, Martial Artists, Police, Duelists Specialties: Knives, Swords, Improvised Weaponry, Riposte, Disarms Performance The Performance Skill governs your ability to perform artistic endeavors such as singing, dancing, acting, or playing a musical instrument. You are almost certainly specialized in one field, although true virtuosos may be talented in many forms of performance. This Skill represents not only technical know-how, but the ability to work an audience and enrapture them with your show. As with Crafts, you must choose a specialty, even though this Skill also imparts a general sense for watching and responding to your audience’s mood regardless of medium. • Novice: You could sing in the church choir. •• Practiced: Your Internet videos have over a hundred thousand views. ••• Competent: You almost always have a gig booked. •••• Expert: You have the talent to be a national sensation. ••••• Master: You are a virtuoso without peer. Possessed by: Musicians, College Students, Actors, Ballerinas, Mimes Specialties: Dancing, Singing, Rock and Roll, Acting, Guitar Solos, Drunken Karaoke Stealth This Skill is the ability to avoid being detected, whether you’re hiding or moving at the time. Stealth is often tested against someone else’s Perception + Alertness. This Ability is, for obvious reasons, highly useful in stalking prey. In many cases, Stealth is also used to conceal items, whether on one’s person or somewhere in the environment. • Novice: You can hide in a darkened room. •• Practiced: You can shadow someone from streetlight to streetlight. ••• Competent: You have little difficulty finding prey from evening to evening. •••• Expert: You can move quietly over dry leaves. ••••• Master: Nosferatu elder Possessed by: Burglars, Assassins, Kindred, Spies, Reporters, Commandos Specialties: Hiding, Silent Movement, Shadowing, Crowds Survival Although vampires have little to fear from starvation and exposure, the wilderness can still be dangerous to a Cainite. This Skill allows you to find shelter, navigate your way to civilization, track prey, establish a makeshift haven, and possibly even avoid supernatural threats like werewolves that also prowl the World of Darkness. Note that Survival need not be used only in areas considered “wilderness.” There’s plenty of Survival that goes into getting by in various parts of modern cities. • Novice: You can survive a night spent outside. •• Practiced: You’ve “roughed it” on a regular basis. ••• Competent: You can separate poison or spoilage from edible forage. •••• Expert: You could live for months in the challenging environment of your choice. ••••• Master: You could get dropped naked into the Andes and do all right for yourself. Possessed by: Scouts, Soldiers, Outdoors Enthusiasts, Survivalists, Hunters Specialties: Tracking, Woodlands, Jungle, Street Life, Hunting, Urban Exploration Professional Skill This category encompasses anything that the Storyteller deems to be a taught Ability and is primarily active in application. Storytellers should first examine the list of existing Skills to determine if a particular task might fall under one of those (e.g. Tracking would be a specialty of Survival). • Novice: You’ve apprenticed. •• Practiced: You have a handle on the basics. ••• Competent: You could make a living, although not a fortune, doing what you do. •••• Expert: You know the more esoteric uses of your Skill, and are rarely at a loss. ••••• Master: You are an acknowledged authority in your chosen field of endeavor. Suggested Professional Skills: Blacksmith, Cooking, Fast-Draw, Forgery, Game Playing, Gunsmith, Navigation, Torture Knowledges Knowledges involve the application of the mind, not the body. Consequently, Knowledge Abilities are most often paired with Mental Traits. (It’s possible to roll Charisma + Academics, or even Stamina + Medicine, but such things are pretty rare.) The following descriptions speak of Knowledge levels in collegiate terms, although formal schooling is just one way to improve a Knowledge. Indeed, Knowledges can be self-taught, and the world is home to any number of autodidacts. If you don’t have any dots in a Knowledge, you cannot even attempt a roll involving it unless the Storyteller gives explicit permission (such as where common trivia is concerned). If you don’t know Spanish, you can’t try holding a conversation en español on your wits alone. Academics This catchall Knowledge covers the character’s erudition in the humanities: literature, history, art, philosophy, and other “liberal” arts and sciences. A character with dots in Academics is generally well rounded in these fields, and at high levels may be considered an expert in one or more areas of study. Not only can this Knowledge impress at salons and other Elysium functions, but it can also offer valuable clues to certain past — and future — movements in the Jyhad. If you like, you can choose a specialty for Academics even at less than 4 dots. • Student: You’re aware that 1066 isn’t a Beverly Hills area code. •• College: You can quote from the classics, identify major cultural movements, and expound on the difference between Ming and Moghul. ••• Masters: You could get a paper published in a scholarly journal. •••• Doctorate: Professor emeritus ••••• Scholar: Scholars worldwide acknowledge you as one of the foremost experts of your time. Possessed by: Professors, Literati, Topical Bloggers, Elders Specialties: Poststructuralism, Impressionist Painting, Imperial Rome, Color Theory, Linguistics Computer This Knowledge represents the ability to operate and program computers, including mobile devices. Most Computer use also imparts a degree of Internet awareness (if not savvy). • Student: You can navigate touch- screen and traditional point-and-click GUIs. •• College: You know your way around various applications and the Internet. ••• Masters: You know what to do with a text command prompt. •••• Doctorate: You can make a very comfortable living as a consultant. ••••• Scholar: You have all the SDKs and comprehend data structures for a stunning variety of programming languages. Possessed by: Hackers, Office Workers, Programmers, Data Processors, Students Specialties: “The YouTubes,” Computer Languages, Internet, Database Administration, HCI, Viruses, specific devices and programs Finance You know the ins and outs of commerce, from evaluating an item’s relative worth to keeping up with currency exchange rates. This Knowledge can be invaluable when brokering items, running numbers, or playing the stock market. Sufficiently high levels in Finance allow you to raise your standards of living to a very comfortable level. • Student: You’ve taken a few business classes. •• College: You have some practical experience and can keep your books fairly neat. ••• Masters: You’d make a fine stockbroker. •••• Doctorate: Corporations follow your financial lead. ••••• Scholar: You could turn a $20 bill into a fortune. Possessed by: Executives, Upper Class, Stockbrokers, Accountants, Fences, Drug Dealers, Smugglers Specialties: Stock Market, Laundering, Appraisal, Foreign Currencies, Accounting, Fencing, Corporations, Federal Bailouts Investigation You’ve learned to notice details others might overlook, and might make an admirable detective. This Knowledge represents not only a good eye for detail, but also an ability to do research and follow leads. Such research may include Internet searches or more specific research techniques like hitting the law books and periodicals archives at the library. • Student: You can parse a broad Web search for clues. •• College: Police officer ••• Masters: Private detective •••• Doctorate: Federal agent ••••• Scholar: Sherlock Holmes Possessed by: Detectives, Mystery Buffs, Policemen, Stalkers Specialties: Forensics, Shadowing, Search, Discolorations, Database Research Law The Law Knowledge represents a knowledge of both legal statutes and proper procedures for enforcing them. Law can be useful for filing suits, avoiding lawsuits, or getting out of jail. What’s more, the Kindred keep their own laws, and more than one vampire has saved his own unlife by deftly exploiting a loophole in one of the Traditions. The Law Knowledge has any number of specialties, and a player may choose one for her character when she takes this Ability, representing both her field of experience and a general sense for how the legal system (especially in her locality) functions, though this is not mandatory. • Student: You’ve paid a traffic ticket and know whether to plead guilty, not guilty, or nolo contendere next time. •• College: You’re either studying for or just passed the bar exam. ••• Masters: You can make a living of the practice, and probably do. •••• Doctorate: If you’re not partner yet, you will be soon. ••••• Scholar: You could find the loopholes in the Devil’s contracts. Possessed by: Lawyers, Police, Judges, Detectives, Legislators Specialties: Criminal, Suits, Courtroom Protocol, Contracts, Police Procedure, the Traditions, the Code of Milan Medicine You have an understanding of how the human body — and to a lesser extent the vampiric body — works. This Ability covers knowledge of medicines, ailments, first-aid procedures, and diagnosis or treatment of disease. Medicine is of great use to those Kindred with an interest in repairing, damaging, or reworking the human body. • Student: You’ve taken a CPR course. •• College: Premed or paramedic ••• Masters: General practitioner •••• Doctorate: You can perform transplants. ••••• Scholar: You are respected by the world’s medical community as a pioneer. Possessed by: Med Students, Doctors, Lifeguards, Parents, Paramedics, Nergali Specialties: Organ Transplants, Emergency Care, Poison Treatments, Pathology, Pharmaceuticals, the Kindred Condition Occult You are knowledgeable in occult areas such as mysticism, curses, magic, folklore, and particularly vampire lore. Unlike most other Knowledges, Occult does not imply a command of hard facts. Much of what you know may well be rumor, myth, speculation, or hearsay. However, the secrets to be learned in this field are worth centuries of sifting legend from fact. High levels of Occult imply a deep understanding of vampire lore, as well as a good grounding in other aspects of the occult. At the very least, you can discern what is patently false. • Student: You’ve got a blog about the eerie and the disturbing. •• College: There seems to be some unsettling truth to some of the rumors you’ve heard. ••• Masters: You’ve heard a lot and actually seen a little for yourself. •••• Doctorate: You can recognize blatantly false sources and make educated guesses about the rest. • •••• Scholar: You know most of the basic truths about the hidden world. Possessed by: Occultists, The Superstitious, New Agers, Riganites Specialties: Kindred Lore, Rituals, Infernalism, Witches, Noddist Lore Politics You are familiar with the politics of the moment, including the people in charge and how they got there. This Knowledge can aid you in dealing with or influencing mortal politicians, or even offer some insight into the local Kindred power structure. The Politics Knowledge includes the ability to practically navigate various bureaucracies, as it assumes that certain organizational structures and relationship currencies are universal. • Student: Activist; you can pay a speeding ticket online. •• College: Political science major; you know how to file a request for information. ••• Masters: Campaign manager or talk- radio host; the clerk will help you navigate the forms you need to complete and tell you who needs the duplicates. •••• Doctorate: Senator; “We’re not supposed to show this to anyone without press credentials, so don’t quote me.” ••••• Scholar: You could choose the next President of the United States. “Sure, here are the keys to the file morgue. Turn off the light when you leave.” Possessed by: Activists, Politicians, Lawyers, vampires of all sorts Specialties: City, State, Federal, Bureaucracy, Dogma, Radical, Camarilla Science You have at least a basic understanding of most of the physical sciences, such as chemistry, biology, physics, and geology. This Knowledge can be put to all forms of practical use. In most cases, a player should select a specialty to reflect a focus for her character’s scientific studies, but this isn’t strictly necessary. • Student: You know most of the high- school basics. •• College: You’re familiar with the major theories. ••• Masters: You could teach high-school science. •••• Doctorate: You’re fully capable of advancing the knowledge in your field. ••••• Scholar: Your Nobel Prize is waiting for you. Possessed by: Scientists, Students, Researchers, Teachers, Engineers, Technicians, Pilots Specialties: Chemistry, Biology, Geology, Physics, Astronomy Technology The Technology Knowledge represents a broad acumen with electronics, computer hardware, and devices more elaborate than “machines,” which fall under the Crafts Skill. If it has a processor, a transistor, or an integrated circuit — if it’s electronic rather than electrical — manipulating it uses the Technology Knowledge. This is the wide-ranging Ability used to build one’s own computer, install (or subvert) a security system, repair a mobile phone, or kitbash a shortwave radio. You must always choose a specialization in Technology, even though you possess some skill in multiple fields. • Student: You can perform simple modifications or repairs. •• College: You could make your living in assembly or repair. ••• Masters: You can design new technologies from a set of objective requirements. •••• Doctorate: For you, it’s not, “Can this be done?” but “How can this be done?” ••••• Scholar: A visionary in the field; you shape how people interact with their world through devices. Possessed by: Engineers, Scientists, Defense Contractors, the Cable Guy Specialties: Telecom, Computers, Security, Communications, Improvised Solutions, Industrial Espionage Expert Knowledge Like Hobby Talent and Professional Skill, this is a catchall category. An Expert Knowledge is anything that is primarily intellectual or mental in nature and must be studied. Storytellers should first examine the list of existing Knowledges to determine if a particular field of expertise might fall under one of those (e.g. Forensics would be a specialty of Investigation). • Student: You’ve taken an undergraduate course or read a few books. •• College: You may have minored in the field. ••• Masters: You might hold a degree and are well versed in what’s been written. •••• Doctorate: You are well-versed in what hasn’t been written. ••••• Scholar: You know the hidden mysteries of your field and are a veritable font of information. Suggested Expert Knowledges: Archaeology, Game Theory, Military Science, Psychology